Goodbye, My Friend
by Mr. Blender
Summary: "I may be dying… But, you made this life I lived worth living for me. I was more than just metal and synthetics… I was the aura inside, too… Thank you. Thank you, my best friend, Ruby."


**Just a little idea I've been harboring for a while. If you can guess the episode of the show this is based on, you have my respect. Enjoy!**

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><p>Ruby had nearly dropped the phone when she had heard the words coming over it, her expression one of shock. The now nearly fifty year old huntress had found it difficult to stand, needing to lean against the wall of her home and take quiet breaths to calm herself down. This can't be... She has to have heard wrong.<p>

"Are you sure?" She finally asks, her voice a quiet and serious tone that draws her white haired wife to her side in concern. "Are you sure it's her? I… Okay. I'll meet you down there right away. Thank you."

Weiss looks at the redhead with a soft expression, a gentle hand touching to her shoulder as she puts the phone down with a pained expression. Her brows furrow slightly, the slight wrinkles that have come to her with age crinkling a bit as eyebrows raise. "Ruby… What's going on?"

Ruby says nothing, simply moving quickly to grab her cloak from where it sets in their living room. It has dulled from its life, no longer the bright crimson it used to be. It has seen many battles and served its owner well over the years, becoming her symbol. Clasps are quickly fastened to the huntress' shirt, the dull red of the hood being pulled up over her face as lets out a heavy sigh. "Ruby?"

"Penny is... attacking troops in town's square. They said she's lost it, Weiss. She's made some sort of enclosed area and is concealing herself inside. Refusing all attempts to get her to come out…"

"That's terrible…"

"That's not the only thing, Weiss…" Ruby says grimly as she looks out of the window to their comfortable home, unsettling droplets of cold rain beginning to lightly patter at the glass. "It's not the only thing…"

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><p>In the town, the environment was one of panic and fear. The destruction of the buildings surrounding the large park in town's square heavy and evident of the violence that occurred likely mere moments ago. Weiss walks by her side, her icy eyes taking glances around the crumbling remains of what remained.<p>

That's when they saw it.

In the center of the park was an enormous mass of metal and wires, cables strewn tightly around to form an immense and intimidating structure. It took up a great deal of the park, standing firmly and refusing to budge under the constant attacks from the huntsman and huntresses trying to get inside.

Weiss looks over to her wife, who appears to be gritting her teeth slightly.

"That's enough!" The redhead shouts out, moving toward the group with an angry expression. The group, mostly made of young huntsman, immediately halts as they see the world-famous Ruby Rose taking quick strides toward them. Her eyes are narrowed angrily, bristling with emotion. "This isn't working, obviously. Now, where's the person overseeing this mission?"

The person ends up being someone Ruby vaguely remembers from guest lectures she's given at Beacon, a prodigy huntress with odd, short blonde hair and green clothing. Her name was the odd one of Anabelle Tink, a name that had Yang trying to keep a snicker hidden (much to both Ruby and Weiss' displeasure). She was a weapons expert, like Ruby herself, and always had a barrage of intelligent questions whenever Ruby went to Beacon. She idolized Ruby, even taking on her own version of the signature cloak (which she had proudly showed to Ruby, with the amused huntress giving her the advice 'just keep it from catching on anything'). She, in many ways, reminded the redhead of herself in her youth. Smart, quick, and with good amount of energy behind her.

Now, however, she looks to be a little rattled, casting Ruby a grateful smile when she steps forward. "Are you a sight for sore eyes… Sorry for calling you down like this, Mrs. Rose, I just didn't know what else to do-"

"I know. 'Belle, I thought I told you to just call me Ruby. Now, what's going on?"

"It's like I told you… Penny came out of nowhere and started attacking everything she could. She laid out about twenty huntsman before retreating into that big structure over there. We haven't been able to get in or get in contact with her. Our big brains say she's…"

"Dying." Ruby murmurs quietly, a sad sigh coming from her. "Penny's dying…"

Belle nods slowly, gently biting her lip. "They say that she's unstable… She was the first attempt at making a robotic entity with an aura. It's a wonder that she lasted this long. Her body can't keep the aura inside her, anymore."

"Can we not just give her new parts?" Weiss asks, her arms crossing across her chest.

"She's too old a model to fix. She isn't compatible with new parts and the ones she has aren't made anymore. She's going to die, no matter what we do… But, we can't have her putting people in jeopardy… Our scientists made this chip to put in the access port on her back. It'll, um… It'll cause a system shutdown, so she can't hurt anyone else. We just need you to help us get in so that we can put it in-"

"I'll do it."

"Huh?"

"She's my friend. I will be the one to do it."

Weiss bites on her lip, but stays silent. She understands the tone in Ruby's voice, one of determination. It's no use arguing with her. She's dead set on this, now.

Belle reaches into her pocket, pulling out a small, black chip and handing it to Ruby. "I'll… leave it to you, then, Ruby… Just tell us what you need to do to help you get inside."

"That won't be necessary." Ruby murmurs, giving a short tug to her hood as she begins to move toward the large structure. She's stopped briefly when Weiss grabs onto her hand, causing her to look back to her worried wife. "Weiss?"

'Ruby… Be careful, alright?" Weiss says softly, leaning forward to give the redhead a gentle kiss.

"I will, Weiss. Don't worry." Ruby says, smiling a bit and kissing back before moving back toward the metal structure in front of her. A soft sigh escapes her as she begins to speak.

"Penny? It's me, Ruby! Please, let me in…"

Much to everyone's surprise, the cables begin to slowly slither away and the metal opens up to let the woman in. An eerie hum comes from inside as the huntress steps inside, the opening closing behind her once she is out of view.

All is silent.

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><p>Inside, Ruby finds the park to be normal. The structure seemed to only be an outside shell to keep everything else outside, as the trees and grass were undisturbed. She walks slowly through the park, her silver eyes looking out for any signs of Penny. Wires hanging from the ceiling of the structure crackled a bit, tapping and scraping against the walls. It's certainly an unsettling environment, the rain on the outside pattering against cold metal.<p>

She spots familiar ginger hair a little ways away, on the swing set. Walking over to it calmly, the small form of Penny comes into full view. Penny never aged, so she looked exactly the same as the day Ruby had first bumped into her. Like many of her encounters, it had ended up a strong friendship. Penny had fought alongside her through so many battles, always a friend and always more than willing to help out when an extra hand was needed. Her little quirks grew on everybody, the way she enunciated different parts of her words and not others, her sometimes jerky movements, her lovable innocence…

Penny was family. Penny had seen Ruby's kids grow up, even babysat them a few times.

"Hi, Ruby…" The robotic girl murmurs as the redhead gets closer, her voice small as she sits on the swing.

"Hey, Penny."

"They sent you in, didn't they? To put that chip in me?"

"They did." Ruby says quietly, fishing the black piece of tech out of her pocket and holding it in her hand.

"You're not going to use it, are you?"

"No."

The chip is dropped to the ground, crunched under Ruby's boot as she walks forward. The aged huntress silently takes a seat on the swing next to Penny, her hands gently clasping the chains that hold the seat up. A few moments of silence ensue, a comfortable silence despite the situation.

"I-I didn't mean to hurt those people, Ruby, I swear…" Penny finally replies, her emerald eyes shifting over to her first friend. "I-I was just… I know what they were going to do to me, when I… when I died… I would become a relic, Ruby… Something t-to study… I do not want that…"

She looks out at the trees, a forlorn sniffle coming from her as her hands start to shake. "I don't want to die in some lab! I belong out here with everyone! I belong…" Her voice is cut off in an emotional choke, though no tears come from her eyes.

Ruby can feel her heart aching as her friend suffers with the realization. She's dying. She doesn't have very much longer left. This is the last time she will talk to anyone, the last time she will see the trees, the grass, her friends…

Penny looks over to Ruby, shaking terribly now. "I am… I am scared, Ruby…"

Ruby smiles sadly, slowly offering her hand to the robotic girl. Penny sniffles a little before slowly reaching her trembling hand to gently clasp her hand. Her scared, uncertain eyes meet calming silver.

"I know you're scared, Penny…" Ruby murmurs softly, giving Penny's hand a small squeeze. "Anyone would be… But, you don't have to be. I'm here for you."

"R-Ruby?"

"Yes?"

'Will you… Will you stay with me?" She asks, her voice wavering as she speaks. "Will you stay with me until I…"

"Of course, I will, Penny." Ruby says, squeezing Penny's hand a little tighter when she isn't able to get the words out. "I'll be with you the entire time. Don't be scared…"

Penny nods slowly, though says nothing more for a few moments.

"Thank you, Ruby."

"Hm?"

"Thank you for being my friend… You were my first friend and… and my best friend. I saw how the others reacted to me when we first met. They thought I was weird. Too weird to associate with. But, you… You called me 'friend'. You gave me a chance."

She looks back at Ruby with a small smile, the bright green coloring in her eyes beginning to dull.

"You called me 'friend' when no one would. And, for that… I am forever grateful to you. You led me into a life worth living, into a world full of friendship… I may be dying… But, you made this life I lived worth living for me. I was more than just metal and synthetics… I was the aura inside, too… Thank you. Thank you, my best friend, Ruby."

Ruby finds wetness dribbling from her eyes, running down wrinkled cheeks in thick streams. "You don't have to thank me, Penny. I was happy to call you my friend and ally… It was an honor to be next to you in battle and in life, Penny. I will never forget you."

"Thank you."

Penny is smiling fully now, tilting her head after another moment. "You sure got old-looking, Ruby."

"H-Hey! That's not fair! I look really good for my age! Not all of us can have skin as flawless as yours, y'know." Ruby says, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.

Penny laughs sweetly, letting her feet swing a little below her as she looks back to the trees. "That is true."

The sounds of metal and cable retreating begins to ring out in the air, a gentle breeze blowing over ginger hair. "I think I'm ready, now." She murmurs softly, squeezing Ruby's hand as the green in her eyes fades out. She looks back to her best friend for the last time, feeling comforted in death by the final image of Ruby smiling at her. Her lips move one last time, uttering a final sentence before her aura leaves her body behind.

_Goodbye, friend Ruby._


End file.
